Shpadoinkle
2021-10-29, 04:34 AM
Land Legs
Alteration
Sor/wiz, Clr/Ora, Level ? (This is mostly what I'm looking for help with)
Range: Close (25' + 5'/2 caster level)
Target: 1 merfolk per caster level
Duration: 24 hours (D)
Saving throw: Will negates (harmless)
SR: Yes
This spell transforms the fishlike tail of merfolk into a pair of humanlike legs. Those affected lose their Swim speed and racial bonus to Swim checks, but gain a land movement speed of 30'(? Open to changing this, maybe 25'.) Those affected by this spell can end this effect voluntarily.
This spell may also be able to affect non-merfolk characters who lack legs (such as naga,) though this is up to DM discretion.
Merfolk and locathah are one of the nations in a setting I'm creating, where they're kind of different castes of the same race and nation. Merfolk dwell in the sea and large inland lakes and serve as the governing faction, with most of the nation's spellcasters being merfolk, while locathah tend to live in and around rivers and wetlands and essentially serve as the nation's peasant class, doing the majority of the physical work, as well as serving as the nation's armed forces. Merfolk developed this spell to make travel over land, if necessary, easier.
The closest existing counterpart to this spell is Water Breathing, which is more powerful because it grants those affected by it an ability they don't have. Merfolk already have a very slow land speed (only 5' by default, though the Strongtail alternate racial trait increases that to 15', while lowering their swim speed to 30') this just increases it, while also costing them their racial bonus to Swim checks and their Swim speed - while affected by this, a merfolk is no better at swimming than a human with the same stats and skill points in the Swim skill is.
I was aiming for this being a level 1 spell for primary casters like clerics and wizards, am I overlooking something that makes this obviously more powerful than that?
Alteration
Sor/wiz, Clr/Ora, Level ? (This is mostly what I'm looking for help with)
Range: Close (25' + 5'/2 caster level)
Target: 1 merfolk per caster level
Duration: 24 hours (D)
Saving throw: Will negates (harmless)
SR: Yes
This spell transforms the fishlike tail of merfolk into a pair of humanlike legs. Those affected lose their Swim speed and racial bonus to Swim checks, but gain a land movement speed of 30'(? Open to changing this, maybe 25'.) Those affected by this spell can end this effect voluntarily.
This spell may also be able to affect non-merfolk characters who lack legs (such as naga,) though this is up to DM discretion.
Merfolk and locathah are one of the nations in a setting I'm creating, where they're kind of different castes of the same race and nation. Merfolk dwell in the sea and large inland lakes and serve as the governing faction, with most of the nation's spellcasters being merfolk, while locathah tend to live in and around rivers and wetlands and essentially serve as the nation's peasant class, doing the majority of the physical work, as well as serving as the nation's armed forces. Merfolk developed this spell to make travel over land, if necessary, easier.
The closest existing counterpart to this spell is Water Breathing, which is more powerful because it grants those affected by it an ability they don't have. Merfolk already have a very slow land speed (only 5' by default, though the Strongtail alternate racial trait increases that to 15', while lowering their swim speed to 30') this just increases it, while also costing them their racial bonus to Swim checks and their Swim speed - while affected by this, a merfolk is no better at swimming than a human with the same stats and skill points in the Swim skill is.
I was aiming for this being a level 1 spell for primary casters like clerics and wizards, am I overlooking something that makes this obviously more powerful than that?